Dr. Ana M Soto of Tufts University School of Medicine has been studying ‘Endocrine Disrupting chemicals’ or xenoestrogen for a considerable amount of time and is clear, ‘If we take the results in animal models together, I think we have enough evidence to conclude that BPA increases the risk for breast and prostate cancer in humans”.
Meta-reviews link BPA with breast and prostate cancer
In 2010 Dr. Soto and Dr. Carlos Sonnenschien publish a meta-review(1) concluding that Endocrine Disrupters could increase risk of Breast and Prostate cancer. Worryingly, one study showed that females with high levels of BPA in their blood, increased the risk of breast cancer for their offspring later in life(2); another showed the same result if breast feeding(3).
A further review in 2013 produced the same conclusion. Then a 2014 showed exposure in the young could cause genetic changes; another showed exposure produced breast cancer cell growth; and a third showed that BPA chemicals affected stem cells and increased cancer risk later in life.
Apart from cell growth and effects on stem cells, Soto believes BPA affects tissue organization.
BPA links to heart disease and diabetes
There is also research showing that BPA can promote a number of other health concerns such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease and infertility
WHO says BPA is probably carcinogenic to humans
Soto has said, “At some point, we have to question how much knowledge is enough to warrant action. To me, we’ve passed the point with BPA”.
IARC, the cancer research agency for the World Health Organisation has labelled BPA a probable carcinogen and requested governments across the world to ban BPA and other endocrine disrupters like phthalates from use in their countries.
France bans BPA packaging
On January 1st 2015 France banned BPA from all food packaging . On September 17th 2015 a constitutional court removed this ban from export products, so France can send food in BPA packaging to Britain and Germany. France is alone in Europe in banning BPA.
How do you get BPA in your blood stream?
BPA has been found in the blood of 94 per cent of Americans.
Typically BPA may be found in the contents inside plastic packaging:
•Canned foods – in aluminum, white lined cans
•Fizzy soft drinks – 16 out of 17 in Canadian research
•Any liquid in plastic bottle – shampoos, soaps, conditioners, hand wash, drinks, foods, smoothies, beer, sunscreen.
•Baby bottles
•Plastic toys
•Dummies (pacifiers)
•Technically BPA may be found in plastics #3 (PVC), #6 (polystyrene), and #7 (polycarbonate).
The European Union and Canada have banned it from baby bottles.
Here’s the real problem:
You cannot be sure that any liquid in a plastic bottle is free from Hormone Disrupters unless the manufacturer really has done their homework and set out to make it so. So you shower and wash your hair; but skin is a carrier not a barrier, so any BPA will get into your blood stream. The plastic wrap for your sandwiches; the can of tomatoes you put in your healthy ratatouille.
And a 2011 study from the University of Texas said exactly that(4).
Worse, if you heat, deliberately or accidentally, the plastic packaging it may well release more endocrine disrupting chemicals into the contents (for example, if you leave your sunscreen bottle in the sun).
So, avoid white lined aluminum packaging, don’t let your young children use plastic bottles, dummies or suck or bite their toys; and
References
1.Soto AM, Sonnenschein C. Environmental causes of cancer: endocrine disruptors as carcinogens. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2010;6:363-370
2.Betancourt AM, Eltoum IA, Desmond RA, Russo J, Lamartiniere CA. In utero exposure to bisphenol A shifts the window of susceptibility for mammary carcinogenesis in the rat. Environ Health Perspect. 2010;118:1614-1619.
3.Jenkins S, Raghuraman N, Eltoum I, Carpenter M, Russo J, Lamartiniere CA. Oral exposure to bisphenol A increases dimethylbenzanthracene-induced mammary cancer in rats. Environ Health Perspect. 2009;117:910-915.
4.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222987/